Ollie North And That Afghan Airstrike
By Cernig Tuesday Sep 09, 2008 6:45pm
The story of an American airstrike on an Afghan village on the night of August 21 keeps getting stranger. At first, the US military said that militants had been killed in the attack, then Afghan officials alleged that only civilians had died - over 80, including at least 50 children. The US military investigated and stuck by its story and then mobile phone video of dozens of civilian casualties, ostensibly from the strike, turned up.
Now, the US has dispatched a general to Afghanistan to look anew at the events surrounding the airstrike and re-appraise the military investigation's conclusion.
But the story has taken a new turn - it appears the original investigation relied on the corroboration of an embedded journalist when it concluded that the airstrike had, after all, only hit militants. That journalist has now been revealed to have been former Iran/Contra conspirator and FOX correspondent Colonel Oliver North.
The US military said that its findings were corroborated by an independent journalist embedded with the US force. He was named as the Fox News correspondent Oliver North, who came to prominence in the 1980s Iran-Contra affair, when he was an army colonel.
Sources close to one of the investigations said that a video film was shot by Afghan officials the morning after the attack. It corroborates the doctor’s footage but has not been made public.
In a statement released on Saturday, the commander of Nato forces, General David McKiernan, appeared to back away from previous US accounts. He said: “Following the recent operation in Azizabad, Shindand district, we realise there is a large discrepancy between the number of civilian casualties reported by soldiers and local villagers. I remain responsible to continue to try and account for this disparity in numbers, but above all I want to express our heartfelt sorrow to all families that lost loved ones in this firefight.”
(Some of the mobile phone footage is at that Times link. It was shot by a doctor and the Times says "has been edited to remove the most graphic footage of dead children and adults". Even so, it's not for the faint of heart.)
As my colleague Anderson wrote at Newshoggers:
It is entirely unclear just what North did to "corroborate" US military claims of Taliban deaths, but his efforts to bolster the military stance appear about to go down in the same flames that killed 90 Afghan civilians.
While doubtful, perhaps the US military should rethink their reliance on the fantastical stories of a known bullshit artist and pathological liar, someone who by all rights ought to be in prison.
I wonder if we'll see North answer questions about what he said and why he said it on FOX? Somehow, I doubt it.
Keith Olbermann covered the airstrike massacre during his Bushed! segment, its disastrous diplomatic aftermath and North's involvement on Monday: "Realising that a) he's not a journalist b) he's not independent and c) his eye-witnessing includes seeing things that aren't really there, the US military has now reversed its stance..."
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If North was involved, the whole story is probably best investigated by looking at the heroin connection.
This stooge is the poster boy for keeping government criminals in prison for a very long time. He should have been imprisoned after Iran-Contra; instead he's out ploying his trade as a high profile gofer for the corporate/republican party.
Liddy, Colson et al have been loyal soldiers for the fascist cause.
Of course, you want to trust a man who told a Congressional investigation how happy he was to lie and deceive for his President (Reagan) when he thought it was right.
Now that's sourcing you can believe in!
Fuck Oliver North and Fox News.
And we all KNOW that THIS slimeball wanker only ever tells the truth.
What rock did he crawl out from under? This is one of the biggest problems with Bush, and with any in-coming McMummy/Palin administration. They''ve kept all the old-guard on board and on-call.
Why don't these people just die? We can't get or keep them in jail - even IF we actually prosecute them. Thank you Nancy Pelosi
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Orangutan. @ 4:
Thank you, thank you . . . .
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Had he and all the other criminals been imprisoned instead of held out as victims of a media gone mad, the example might have made people think twice before doing things like voter caging, election fraud, and fixing evidence and lying to get us into a highly profitable war
And what is going to happen to this scumbag North? Absolutely nothing.
bush got it partly right he is a dick! no brains.
huh... and to think that Oliver North is most famous for 1 thing: lying. amazing. just amazing.
Wow, so lemme get this straight (because I don't watch the teevee anymore): Our tax payer funded, supposedly freedom fighting, ethical, proud and nearly largest army in the world took a report of the results of their activity, from a civilian?
And not just ANY civilian, but a known pathological liar that brought public shame and embarrassment to the military and also escaped conviction only by pardon? That civilian?
No.
Palin is from the nutbag religious fringe, the army is relying on reports from Ollie North, the polar caps are melting, the oil crisis is looming big, major news organizations have become puppet propagandists, most people can't read beyond seventh grade level.
What else? I mean really, what next?
Oliver Fucking North??
The U.S. military has no credibility. From "smart bombs" to killing journalists, it is a rogue organization, with many good individuals, and a number of war criminals. But like cop and FBI television shows, the sheeple think the military can do no wrong because the TV show propaganda tell them so.
The Shadow Government.
I just posted this at the College repuglic thread - so you know there's no mistake - I'm saying it here now ~~
"corroboration of an embedded journalist" should read "corroboration of a traitor who sold missiles to Iran"
"As president, I would pursue a new strategy and begin by providing at least two additional combat brigades to support our effort in Afghanistan. We need more troops, more helicopters, better intelligence-gathering and more non-military assistance to accomplish our mission there." -Sen. Obama, July 15, 2008
"...accomplish the mission there..."???
Exactly what is the mission there, Senator?
Is it anything like this one?
scarlet p. @ 10:
He's just as famous for being proud that he lied.
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scarlet p. @ 10:
Gosh, I trust him!
...to lie.
Keith is right. Oliver North is not a not "...a journalist b) he’s not independent and c) his eye-witnessing includes seeing things that aren’t really there..." What he is in reality, is a convicted felon and a treasonous bastard; qualifying him to be an "analyst" on the non-news Fox Channel.
Unfortunately this is nothing new. During the Vietnam War an American officer declared that a village had to be destroyed in order to save it. The U.S. government will claim that this massacre of Afghan civilians was due to "faulty intelligence" after first claiming that 35 of those children who were killed were militants. This is why because of atrocities like this that the United States will never, despite Obama's proclamations, "win" in the so-called "good war" in Afghanistan. America will instead be a part of the graveyard that Afghanistan has become for the other countries that had tried to impose its will upon the Afghans. Obama's desire to not withdraw but to ADD more American soldiers to Afghanistan will have the effect of driving more Afghans to join the ranks of the Taliban. Yet there are so many in this country who cannot fathom why the United States, with leaders like Obama and McCain, is so hated by so many people around the world, apparently continuing to believe that the theory of American Exceptionalism should still be intact.
Ollie North is considered a journalist?!?!
Combine this with the lack of scrutiny on Palin & McCain,
the phony scandals with Obama (pigs & lipstick, lapel pins, greek columns, etc.)
Not to mention the crimes of the Bush Administration, the erosion of civil liberties,
a spineless Democratic congress, the global warming, and a press that won't do any
real investigation, I have come to the conclusion...
America is most likely doomed.
A murderer leaves prison and murders again, what a surprise.
Oliver North and Fuck Snooze. Criminals and Jerk Offs.
I believe it’s the complete absence of any vestige of humanity that I am most offended by with these slugs.
Repuglics — the party of angry, white, doughy, bigots, racists, perverts, pedophiles, murderers, war criminals, homophobes, misogynists, stupid women and liars.
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This is the most accurate description of republicans I can think of.
Thank You, Trittydi !
I didn't know you can recycle shit and it would still be shit-----> Ollie North just proves it
Kate @ 11 Congratulations on the loss of your idiot-box. It's incredible how stupid the teevee appears after you've been away from it for about six months.
Ok folks, there are some very bright people on this site and you're kind enough to put up with me so you're both bright and tolerant.
That said, how do we get these gifts that keep falling in our laps presented in a way to get the attention of the sheeple. I'm not talking about the kool aid brigade, I'm talking about the people who just get most of their information from MSM and aren't aware of what's going on.
Don't tell me it can't be done IT HAS TO BE DONE. This one's for all the marbles. Obama won't save us but another 4 years of these freaks and we won't have anything left to work with for the foreseeable future.
Is it door to door? Is it talking to everyone you can on the bus, the work place? What is it? There has got to be a way to beat this juggernaut, quitting is not an option. What's it going to take?
We're donating to everything; Vote Vet, Democracy Now, Vets for Peace, Brave New Films, his campaign. Are we missing anything important? Are those all good places to send money?
"Ordinary People Accomplishing Extraordinary Things"
Oliver North is know liar, spinner of fables. a man willing to fall on his sword for the betterment of his fascist masters.
I said it before:
"Intentional or not, they killed babies. Any parent can understand the horror of this."
This is what our money is buying for us.
King of Kings @ 14:
"There exists a shadowy government with its own Air Force, its own Navy,its own fundraising mechanism, and the ability to pursue its own ideas of national interest, free from all checks and balances, and free from the law itself."
— Senator Daniel K. Inouye at the Iran Contra Hearings (1987)
Ollie North - the embodiment of an amoral, jingoistic, deluded, anti-democratic courtier. His skills would have best put to use during the fascist regime of Mussolini, the true architect of the corporatist/special interest subversion of democracy. He should have tried for treason and executed for his involvment in the Iran-Contra scandal.
Chicken "Hussein" Little - Not! @ 28:
Bombard all the small town newspapers with letters to the editor. Each week, pick a subject. Get the truth out to the sheeple through sheer numbers. My little paper lets me write one a month. If I had 3 more like minds, we could have a letter in every week! After a while, the truth sinks in for some -- not all, but some.
That's it. Back to bed. Same shit every day. Republicans kill again and again, and the same slugs have their fingers on the trigger. Are they Zombies? I've been hearing about this guy's atrocities for over twenty years! Do they never die, or retire or stop? Semper Fi my ass! ENOUGH!!!!!!
Mick Piobr @ 27:
If you indeed have a television, it's halfway palatable if you turn off the sound and play a little Mozart, Michael Hedges or Glass while perusing the visuals.
every single one of these atrocities and cover ups are
causing more and more discord between America and it's allies.
this is putting America in harm's way and actually creating more
enemies and terrorists that more than likely want to retaliate
against the blantant disregard for other nations and their
citizens.
bush/cheney have shown time and again they have no regard
for the rights of soverign nations or respect for the lives of
their citizens as well as American citizens. in fact all their
criminal acts have made America less safe and a target of
retaliation. fuck bush and cheney and this entire gop administration.
Ollie North
Now where did I hear that name before!
Once a liar and a crook, always a liar and a crook
there are three basic types of republicans evil,greedy, and stupid!
now there are lost of sub types wrapped in those three. But they will all fit in the basic three catagories.
Neo-classical secular humanist @ 35:
Get away from the tv. It is a drug!
There are three basic types of republicans evil,greedy, and stupid!
Now there are lots of sub types wrapped in those three. But they will all fit in the basic three catagories.
Jo @ 33:
Fuck it. If I were you, I'd call it quits on the "American Dream" and haul your ass -- and your family, if you have one -- to some other country that, for the moment, is not in the crosshairs of any of the anti-humanistic, corporatist empires or empire-wannabees. The Scandanavian countries, New Zealand and Canada (if the citizenry there don't fall for the encumbent Prime Minister's Bush-Lite agenda). Best wishes.
Trittydi @ 15:
Thanks for posting this in both places... it just keeps getting worse and worse, doesn't it? I'm almost afraid to even venture a guess at the real devastation these fucktards have brought down on everyone... including the standing of the U.S. in the international community. We can't count on a single one of these operatives, journalistic or political.
Mick Piobr @ 27:
Good decision. We stopped watching - completely - about 15-16 years ago. It's been heaven. We didn't want corporate media owning our children's souls. Our kids have thanked us for this.
And they go through books like a repuglic goes through viagra and cocaine.
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NCSH @ 35 Raymond Scott and David Torn!
Ollie North is an Epic political errand boy, and a traitor to America.
I think he finally stepped in it, and his credibility will start getting the attention it deserves.
Jo @ 39 Nahh; some drugs are okay :}
Hey, Times UK, don't insult the army this way: North was a Lt. Col. in the Marine Corps.
Trittydi @ 43:
trittydi, thank you you made my day. i just finished laughing my head off.
Forrestal Gump @ 1:
Yup. Lying Rethuglicanasswipes.
Ollie North is to truth in journalism what John McDepends is to break dancing.......
Fuck it. If I were you, I’d call it quits on the “American Dream” and haul your ass — and your family, if you have one — to some other country that, for the moment, is not in the crosshairs of any of the anti-humanistic, corporatist empires or empire-wannabees. The Scandanavian countries, New Zealand and Canada (if the citizenry there don’t fall for the encumbent Prime Minister’s Bush-Lite agenda). Best wishes.
If I were young again and knew what I know now I would leave. But I am and old man now and cannot. I won't run but I will stand toe to toe with these fascist bastards and punch till I cannot punch any more!
Haven't read the comments yet, but if no one has noted it -- Ollie was not an Army colonel, he was a Marine lieutenant colonel. Damn, Ollie, can't you stay out of trouble?
Chicken "Hussein" Little - Not! @ 28:
Civil Informationing. Putting literature and fliers on community boards at laundry mats, grocery stores, libraries etc. Door to door of course is the best. Passing out dvd's with your favorite documentaries burnt on them. Fliers under windshield wipers at apartment complexes etc. Sidewalk chalk in heavily walked areas and schools. Letters to the editor. Bumper stickers etc. Passing out literature at rallies, parades, fairs etc. That's all I got. Here's some resources on where to buy such things and hopefully you are familiar with DVD burning or copying.
http://www.peaceproject.com
Ollie North rears his ugly, lying head again. It isn't it to be expected that on the Sly Fox News, a convicted lier like North is considered a "journalist"!(Notwithstanding his appellate victory, he still lied)
Rufus @ 52:
He should have been court marshaled and should be spending the rest of his life in a military prison.
"an independent journalist" ≠ "Fox News correspondent Oliver North"
james Ratliff @ 51:
For what it's worth, I applaud both your honesty and resolve. You sound like a true American.
Filthy Harry @ 56:
Actually its true also to say: "an independent journalist" ≠ "Fox News correspondent"
North is a first-class traitor, opportunist and all-around scumbag.
He should be in the brig.
Mick Piobr @ 2:
He SHOULD have been tried for treason, convicted, and executed.
Oh, Ollie, see what a mess you've gotten us into.
james Ratliff @ 51:
Oliver North a journalist?
hahahahahahahahahahaha
What planet is this? Bizarro world?!!!!
why would the military accept statements from a known liar? our military command must be really messed up.
If their were a God, North would have taken a shell himself!
Wouldn't surprise me if this worthless piece of spoiled carrion gave the coordinates to bomb...
Why isn't this piece of shit behind bars? (And no Ollie, having a stint with Faux shouldn't qualify as "gainful employment" with the parole board.
FUCK YOU.
Oliver North is a convicted felon. We should believe him, why?
o.t., but why is it even accepted that any Afghan deserves to be killed if he's a "militant"?
But, but, Ollie works for FOX!! Sean Clannity calls him "A fine American." It was on my teevee, therefore it must be true, right?
This country is so f*cked...
Obama has been saying that we need more troops and civilian aid to Afghanistan for over a year and a half!
He has repeatedly pointed out that the Invasion of Iraq was an unnecessary that took vital American assets away from the real war on terror and chief enemy Al Qaeda and the Taliban.
McCain wants to stay in Iraq forever and that is an absolutely critical mistake that has over taxed our military while exposing us to much greater threats as we have seen now in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the dangerous moves by the Neocons have reawakened the cold war with Russia by doing provacative acts like putting missiles on Russia's border.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080910/wl_nm/afghan_usa_pakistan_dc
My feelings about these United States:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/10/131125/652/279/593651
Let's make sure that it doesn't happen!
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Orangutan. Says: http://www.peaceproject.com
Thanks for the link.
Ollie North is no journalist, that's for sure. He's also not a former army colonel, he was a lieutenant colonel in the Marines. Not that it makes a material difference to this appalling story, but if we're going to pillory the pentagon for getting their facts wrong, we should do our best to get out facts right. Former marine lietenant colonel Ollie North is not someone whose record inspires confidence, since he has proved himself willing to lie for political ends.
keith was great tonight. Hope to see his commentary soon.
Do you believe a sick Ossama ben ladin is still alive? I do not and most of the world does not. Only Neocons are still believe that he exist to scare people to vote for them.
"what North did to “corroborate” US military claims of Taliban deaths"
Simple. He went in and personally bayoneted the wounded. Dead women and children tell no tales.
Whiskey-Tango-Foxtrot!?
Am I the only one who finds it SICKENING that you had to go to the CANADIAN CBC to find a news story about the civilian deaths, and a BRITISH news outlet for the story on North, because all of the dipshit U.S. news outlets are having a feeding frenzy about Sarah Palin's lipstick?
Dear old Ollie, a bit player in the larger war crimes being perpetrated by the U.S.
Why am I not surprised that that a bald faced liar like North is a Fox News correspondent?
Pericles @ 74:
You should be. The only chance for some type of objective reporting is a state/provincial funded news agency that, for a myriad of reasons, understands that they must rise about partisan, corporatist tendencies and strive, albeit with the understanding that the goal is unattainable, to restrain any editorializing, spinning, trivializing, aggrandizing, etc. the story. The BBC and the CBC come close but are under constant attack to assimilate one ideology -- left or right -- into their broadcasts. Their success goes up and down. However, both news agencies apire to the ideals of the 4th estate: object description/accounting of events. Toss that out and you have old-fashioned propaganda (the romanticization of facts to the benefit of some particular ideology) being peddled as "news". In the US, you have Tricky Dick Nixon to thank for the initial assault on public broadcasting as he tried to cut off their funding when the Hounds of Congress were getting closer to the truth.
Fox employees Ollie North but goes after Obama for his past associations. Fox doesn't seem very patriotic. Why do they hate America so? And for that matter how can anyone claim the label of patriot when they are so willing to ignore the national debt and pass it to their children and their children's children.
The communist Russian went into Afghanistan and was destroyed as a result because they did not remember why the Germany never attacked Switzerland in both WW1 and 2 because they knew you can not win a war in a mountainous area. It is a country that you can not control.
Why would anyone believe we could archive another result in Afghanistan?
Why do you think we can win that war unless we are paying all like we are doing in Iraq.
We are spending $300.00 an insurgent per months that equal $30 millions a month.
Forrestal Gump @ 1:
Iran/Contra was just as much about Sandinistas as it was about drug smuggling. You’re right. If North was there, it was not as a journalist. He still has the connections, and the skill to setup distribution channels as he did in the ‘80s out of S America.
That North was there at all sends bad signals for me. They’re at it again…
Now if they would have said it was corroborated by an independent "commentator" embedded with the troops it would have been more believable.
Still, you gotta wonder...What WAS Ollie doing there? Is he doing anything on-camera for Faux or is that simply his cover?
That's what you get when you pardon lying, drug running, murdering sociopath's. There is not a form of execution that is too heinous for that basterd. Oh and by the way a proud Marine. Eat the apple f%$k the corps.
ccksu91 @ 47:
Are you referring to the army of Jessica Lynch or the army of Abu Ghraib? As far as the UCMJ is concerned it doesn't matter what branch of service they served with. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, it doesn't matter which branch embarrassed itself more. Only thing that matters to everyone else is that these people represent what Americans are capable of. But you're right overall... the army does have enough to be ashamed of without having to add one bad Marine to the list.
Oh, and don't forget who fragged Tillman. Wasn't the USMC.
Taarak @ 81:
With all due respect they have always been at it. The war on drugs is the biggest bunch of BS. We are in it up to our asses and we play both sides against the middle. Drugs should be legal it's Ollie North that should be illegal.
North's face should be up in every post office in the country.
Support the troops? With lying sacks like him, it's tougher all the time.
The USMC needs to add Ollie to their propaganda. Now there's a real Marine. Every time I see one of their BS commercials I want to vomit.
Oliver North...."a) he’s not a journalist b) he’s not independent and c) he makes crap up"......and
D)He's a goddamned crook.
Screw this criminal.
The reason that village got attacked and all those civilians died, is revenge for an attack on NATO troops nearby.
Its the same ol game the Nazis played in WW2, some partisans do something, the nearest village or town suffers a ten fold reprisal.
The name of the game is sending a message to any other village that might think of harboring insurgents.
read this and see if it relates to the accidents in Iraq and Afgahnistan.